He declared during an interview on 105.3 The Fan that he'll come back from his second back surgery in less than a year "a better player than I've ever been." He expressed confidence that he'll hold up for the duration of the six-year, $108 million deal he signed last offseason.

If it were simply a matter of toughness, Tony Romo would most certainly fulfill his goal of playing out the duration of his contract. AP Photo/James D. Smith

"There's no question in my mind, not only am I going to be able to make it through 16 games, I'll make it through another five years," Romo said during his appearance Wednesday on the "Ben and Skin Show."

"Some people have issues just based on their body alignment and degenerative things, but none of those are my issues. Mine is just something small and I just got hit at the wrong time and that's part of what happened. If you play football long enough, you're going to have something."

If it's about toughness, Romo will be right about his future. After all, he's the guy who has led the Cowboys to comeback wins while playing with a punctured lung and fractured ribs on one occasion and a herniated disk in his back on another.

Too bad toughness will have little to do with Romo's longevity.

Few stood in the pocket and took hits as fearlessly as Troy Aikman, but back problems forced him to retire at 34, Romo's age now. Larry Bird's toughness was part of his legend, but the NBA great's bad back forced him to hang up his sneakers at 35.

The Cowboys have addressed what they can control regarding Romo's future under center extending another five years. They've invested first-round picks in offensive linemen in three of the last four drafts, meaning Romo should be protected as well as he's ever been. By all accounts, Romo has attacked rehab with passion and a purpose. And the Cowboys make sure Romo gets the best medical care possible.

Of course, Dr. Drew Dossett also operated on Texas Rangers pitcher Matt Harrison's back. Now, Harrison's career is in jeopardy after further complications with his back, and he doesn't even have to deal with complicated blitzes or 300-pound defensive linemen driving him into the turf.

For Romo to have a chance to accomplish his goal of leading the Cowboys to a Super Bowl, he must believe with every fiber of his being that his best football is ahead of him. But his prediction of playing five more years is based purely on hope, not the gloomy reality of the history of great athletes with back problems.

That's not to say Romo's plan is impossible. Peyton Manning just had a record-shattering season at age 37, a couple of years removed from multiple neck surgeries.

But Romo's health in the future is far from a guarantee, no matter what he says or how hard he works. The Cowboys can hope for the best with Romo, but they better be prepared to deal with the worst.